Fish as feed inputs for aquaculture: practices, sustainability and implications

Alternative food uses of the Argentine anchoita in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil 275

minimum lipid contents are recorded (Table 3). Anchoita is easily detected by standard

echo sounders because they aggregate in dense schools during the day. Capture is by

suction and bycatch is minimal. Anchoita landings in Argentina totaled 37 276 tonnes

in 2004 (Table 4).

Companies such as INDUPESA in Mar del Plata and Engraulis S.A. Industrialization

in Quequén supply a wide range of products, such as anchovy fillets in oil, vacuum-

packed anchovy fillets, anchovies in brine, salt-cured anchovies, anchovy fillets

marinated in vinegar (or boquerones), whole frozen anchovies and tinned Argentine

sardines.

2.3 Anchoita exploitation and manufacturing in Uruguay

According to data collected in La Paloma in 2007, ca. 54 000 tonnes of anchoita were

fished in 2001, with main catches of approximately 200 tonnes/day and landings every

48 hours. The entire catch was destined for fishmeal production. This estimate is far

below earlier estimates by Mattos, Torrejon and Rodriguez (1977), who reported that

in 1977 a projection of the utilization of pelagic species for fishmeal, oil and preserves

indicated that 240 000 tonnes/year would be processed in the port of La Paloma, with

a minimum of 5 percent destined for human consumption.^1

The production of fishmeal from anchoita stopped in 2005, and resumed in 2006,

with exports mainly to Germany, Italy, Russian Federation and China.

A processing plant for anchoita-based products for human consumption began

operations in early 2006. With Spanish investment, this plant will manufacture salt-

cured anchoita and marinated fillets. The company will start production based on the

results achieved from trials with large volumes of anchoita. The trials were performed

to produce salt-cured, “boquerón”-type marinated and block-frozen anchoita. The

process was adapted to the climatic conditions of Uruguay to achieve the desired

quality and productivity according to the demands of the European market.

Future exploitation and manufacture of this small pelagic fish is likely to focus not

on fishmeal production, but rather on products for human consumption. However,

fishmeal production using waste from the processing lines is likely to continue.

2. 4 Anchoita exploitation and manufacturing in Brazil
   Of the three countries assessed, Brazil is the only one where this potential fishing
   resource is not currently exploited. In 2005, the Conselho Nacional de Ciência e
   Tecnologia do Brasil (CNPq) financed a project for the assessment and processing
   of anchoita. The implementation of the project resulted in the production of four
   anchoita-based prototypes: 1) risotto-type dehydrated product obtained from anchoita
   protein base; 2) fermented anchoita fillet; 3) soup-type dehydrated product formulated
   with hydrolyzed protein; and 4) surimi-based emulsified fish sausage. Fishmeal
   production was also tested.

(^1) This projection used data collected during 1975 and 1976 by the National Fisheries Institute (INAPE),
assisted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as part of a programme
of exploitation and assessment of pelagic resources. This report gathered basic information for the
projection of a fishery industry based on these resources and the major effort was devoted to anchoita.
TABLE 4
Landings (tonnes)
Ports Bahía Blanca Mar del Plata Quequén Comodoro
Rivadavia
Madryn Rawson Total
Amount 0.5 35 580 800 6 481 399 37 276
Percentage <1 96 2 <1 1 1 100
Source: INDUPESA, Mar del Plata
Landings of anchoita in the ports of Argentina, 2004